US Senate Votes by Wide Margin to Expand Sanctions on Moscow

After further votes in the Senate, the bill would also have to be approved by the House of Representatives, which does not reconvene until September. Until then, the sanctions effort is regarded as a political signal from Washington to Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky followed the vote from the Capitol, according to congressional sources. He had been received at the White House by President Trump yesterday, as the broadcaster reported. Zelensky's presence underscored the symbolic dimension of the vote.

Domestic Dispute Over Tariff Authority

The legislative package is described as one of the most far-reaching efforts in Congress to specifically weaken Russia's energy revenues. It provides for sanctions on the Russian energy sector and ties them to additional tariff authority for the government.

Although Democrats fundamentally support the sanctions, members of Congress have expressed concerns about the new tariff powers for Trump. Critics fear higher import costs in the US and warn that the bill grants the president a "massive backdoor authority" on tariffs.

Symbolism and Political Signal

Critics also point out that these tariffs could also hit European allies should they continue to import Russian energy products to a significant extent. Supporters – including Lindsey Graham, one of the most influential backers of Ukraine in Congress – see them as a necessary instrument of pressure.

The Trump administration has so far not publicly committed to whether it would make use of the new powers. Observers in Washington see the broad majority as an indication of a bipartisan will to further constrain the financial basis of Russia's war effort.

Outlook on the House of Representatives

At the same time, observers note that the bill still faces several hurdles. Only once the Senate and the House of Representatives have finally passed the package in September could it actually land on President Trump's desk.

Until then, it remains unclear whether the federal government in Berlin and the EU Commission in Brussels will take their own steps to complement the impact of the American sanctions. Diplomats are remaining tight-lipped following the vote.

This news item was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on 7/29/2026.